Rest, Romance, & February Feng Shui

Feng shui is an art of optimization that originated in China and encourages living in harmony with one's surroundings.

The word “feng” means wind and “shui” means water, two natural elements that are essential for life. Think of a river winding down a hill, or waves eroding out a cliff; one can be a natural force shaping any environment.

The goal of feng shui is to create balance in your home so that your life flows smoothly and with ease.

There are many different ways to practice feng shui, but one of the simplest and most effective in February is to use feng shui principles to create a more restful and romantic bedroom space.

Try these February Feng Shui Tips

1. Introduce a small burst of the color red

   Red is the color of love and passion, it represents the fire element in the five elements cycle and power. A little goes a long way to add some heat and ignite a more romantic atmosphere in the bedroom. Try a small blanket, candle, or lumbar pillow as decor on your bed, maybe a Himalayan salt lamp (for some grounding earth element plus some simulating and protective fire element), or add some art like a red bird, balloon, or flower. For a more temporary solution consider a vase with some red roses. Try these out and see if this firey color activates the bedroom space and encourages more self-love and sexual energy.

2. Clear Stagnate Energy (Chi )

De-clutter and clean: a clean, clutter-free bedroom is the key to good feng shui

Make sure your bed is easy and enjoyable to make every morning and hop into at night (get rid of unnecessary pillows and blankets).

Clear away any clutter, such as clothing, books, or paperwork.

If an object in your sleep and sex space does not support your morning or evening rituals, it does not belong in the bedroom.

Try to Regularly open your windows and doors to air out the space and allow fresh chi to flow in. Incense or pleasant-smelling oils can also help clear any negative chi and create a sense of harmony and balance in the bedroom.

3. Bedroom Feng Shui Basics

Whilst our bedrooms are for romance, more importantly, they are for sleep. Create a restful environment by supporting your sleep rituals.

Make sure your bedroom is a haven for rest and relaxation by:

1. Keeping the bedroom phone-and-screen-free

   • charge your phone in an office or kitchen, remove/cover/hideaway televisions, computers, and ipads

   • even the mere presence of a device can and will distract you from your slumber [read more about the mere presence here] and the blue light [read more here] changes your circadian rhythm making it harder to fall asleep. 

2. Making sure it’s dark and quiet at night

   • use blackout and noise-canceling curtains) Ikea, Homegoods, Amazon, Michaels, and Bed Bath Beyond have inexpensive options. Order double what you need for a more luxurious look and avoid metal grommets.

3. Optimizing your lighting

   • decrease or change any aggressive overhead lighting (turning on a light before bed or in the morning is ideally inspiring not off-putting)

   • try switching for Himalayan salt bulbs, half gold blubs, or to a dimmer.

   • add pleasant lamps for more ambient light and ideally reading near the bed)

4. Avoiding fans (or any other looming presence) over the bed

5. Warming and keeping your feet warm (have something warm to step onto in the morning  like a soft rug or slippers)

4. Feng Shui Tips for Romance:

Creating a romantic atmosphere in the bedroom starts with setting the right mood.

Here are some tips to help make your bedroom more romantic:

1. Matching side tables (support both you and your partner with a place to set things near the bed, additionally, pairs [ideally matching pairs of things like pillows, side tables, bedside lamps) in a bedroom and home attract and encourage partnership and equality in building relationships)

2. Creating a sensual ambiance (light some candles or use fairy lights to create a beautiful, intimate atmosphere, turn off the overhead lighting and bring in some low lights)

3. Adding soft, relaxing music

4. Adding scents (lavender, rose, and eucalyptus are popular sents for better sleep and relaxation, add a diffuser, scented candle, or essential oils pillow spay as part of your relaxation ritual)

5. Setting up a comfortable seating area (often the bed can be too serious for romance, so have some fun and set up a comfortable seating area with cushions and blankets. This will not only make your space more romantic, but it can also serve as a place to relax and cuddle up together)

In summary, these February Feng Shui encourages supporting sleep and sex in the bedrooms by introducing small bursts of red and adding supportive items that increase a warm pleasant atmosphere while remembering that basic cleaning, decluttering, and airing of space always contribute to the harmonious relationships and overall better well-being that feng shui is designed to achieve. These tips increase both self-love and romance with a partner. Happy Valentine’s y’all!